Lower Lake Killarney
We did the ring anti-clockwise, as they say here, heading toward Killorglin. Just out of Killarney there is a marvelous view of the lower lake from the golf course. We continued until reaching the turn off to Ross Bay and the beach. I haven’t seen a beach quite like this one before.
Ross Bay beach
When the tide is out there is a wide gently sloping sandy beach that ends at the rocks. When the tide is in the beach is the rocks; at least they move the big rocks out of the public beach area. The sand is a little strange, very fine, it almost sticks to your fingers if you pick some up because it is actually glacial clay left behind after the last glacier retreated from Ireland.
After a bit of play on the beach we moved on to Cahersiveen, admiring the views, and took the bridge out to Valentia Island. It is a small island, IIRC it is nine miles at its widest. This is the most westerly inhabited area in Europe or so we were told. Stopped at a small cafe for a cuppa and a bite. I know it was the family house, I am pretty sure it was their dining room we sat in. Had her homemade soup and brown bread, absolutely marvelous. Bonnie got the recipe from her for the bread, she was that impressed.
Stone bridge at St. Brendan's Well, look at the road deck
We stopped at St. Brendan’s well to have a look, there is a small shrine and a well; there are many small places here that have claim to something or somebody that is holy. As one fellow had said a few days ago, “If you collected together the pieces of the one true cross that everyone owns, you could build fifty.”. I did see this bridge which we crossed to get to the well that I thought was nicely done. You will note that it is stack stone pillars and solid slabs of rock as the roadway. Not seen anything quite like that before.
Thatch roofed cottage
We had previously seen a thatch roofed house which we were assured was still in use. I had to take a picture of this little white cottage where we had seen people departing. So I guess that proves it, they really are still in use in a few places. We finished our wandering around the island with a visit to the site of the lighthouse, which is now inaccessible to the public. However the site it sits on used to be an old fort from Cromwells time and some of it still is there.
Went a visited a candle maker’s shop. It was down a one and a half track road right to the end. A quiet fellow was the one and only living there I think. Bonne bought candles and I had a nice conversation with him about drying peat along with other matters, seemed to be a nice fellow.
Coast between Cahersiveen and Waterville
We took the ferry back to the mainland and headed south toward Watersville. More great views of the coast even with the forty mph wind that was blowing through the area. We blew east thru Kenmare and caught a great look at the upper lake in the
Upper Lake Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park when we stopped. Some of the trees here have great character and I had to show you one posing with Bonnie.
Bonnie loves trees with character
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